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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

sleeping with cat on bed

36 replies

SuperFlyHigh · 21/10/2014 20:40

I've been having real trouble getting the almost 6 month old new kitten to sleep on my bed.

He wants to be anywhere but there and especially if there are boxes, book shelves, tiny bit of clutter lying around, anyway he just wanders round the room, onto my standalone mirror with the drawer at the bottom, on the windowsill, near the laundry basket etc

If I place him on the bed (a nice big double bed) he lies there for a few minutes looking all soft and gorgeous when lights are out he stays there a few minutes then it's out rampaging round the room.

anyway any ideas? I do want to sleep with him (on the bed). I've had other cats who like you lot may have had experience, one was fine, didn't move happily slept on the bed with me, the other didn't he moved all round the bed all night (not off it).

OP posts:

thecatneuterer · 21/10/2014 20:46

That's an unusual problem. Most people are trying to stop them sleeping on the bed. I don't think there's anything you can do to force the issue. I'm sure he'll discover the delight of human beds sooner or later.

Original poster

SuperFlyHigh · 21/10/2014 20:49

Thecatneuterer but people here say it helps bond with the cat and cats like to do this in warmer weather. Not this one.

The front box room with a window seat and proximity of birds is the only bedroom he'd like even though I shut him in there for 15 minutes cruel me as his incessent miaowing was driving me mad and I had to do a test in peace and quiet

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cozietoesie · 21/10/2014 21:05

He wants to go out clubbing and not to stay home and sleep with Mum. Give it a week or two.

AlmaMartyr · 21/10/2014 21:07

My kitten is particularly keen on sleeping on the bed when there's a hot water bottle for her to stretch out on, you could try that?

Original poster

SuperFlyHigh · 21/10/2014 21:09

cozie that's it, his balls are coming off (well this Friday) - I think he just wants permanent adoration and attention.

Ps Cozie I wasn't that cruel shutting him in a room for 15 mins for peace and quiet whilst I did a test was I? I had to concentrate and he just flailed round the room going miaow. When i put him in the hall I could still hear him so it was up to box room. I sort of felt mean especially when I heard him jumping up to the handle....

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cozietoesie · 21/10/2014 21:13

Not really. While they're young it's probably best to restrict Exclusion from The Presence to discipline issues because it's so devastating to them but he must be driving you round the bend at times. You've been so lucky he hasn't started spraying! (Assuming he hasn't and it's not just that you haven't noticed it.)

Original poster

SuperFlyHigh · 21/10/2014 21:18

Cozie thank gawd for that. I feared I was being cruel. He's not driving me round the bend so much but when I'm home from work trying to eat he just ignores my needs. cheers Felix.

He didn't take much notice though. What I do notice about him is he seems to follow (if I call and pat my leg) up stairs and he fetches his toy penguin and rolled foil ball if I throw it, he brings them in his mouth too. Surely this is dog behaviour?!

No no spraying as yet. Vet said I was lucky with that. I'd smell it.

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cozietoesie · 21/10/2014 21:29

Biffing legs is pure cat - even Seniorboy still does it on the odd occasion and he's a very old boy. (In fact, if you ever see film of a pride of lions at play, you'll likely see the cubs having such a go at one of the adults' legs - I suspect it's related to tapping/clawing prey on the back legs to bring them down so hunting practice of a sort.)

Retrieving is often an oriental/Siamese/Burmese etc sort of thing (two of mine have done it a lot) so he's really showing his Mum's side now.

RubbishMantra · 21/10/2014 21:35

Oh, I've got a fetcher. He parades around the house most proudly, carrying stuff in his mouth.

Tonight he appeared down the stairs, end of loo roll in mouth so it all streamed out behind him.

Had to point out to him he is a kitten, not an Andrex puppy.

He presents guests with gifts, like flannels, washing up sponges and sheets of newspaper.

Original poster

SuperFlyHigh · 21/10/2014 21:35

no he doesn't biff my legs! if I pat my leg he follows me!

But yes his owner did say he was very Siamese in his ways. Bless him.

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cozietoesie · 21/10/2014 21:42

In some ways that'll be good because he'll be a lot easier to train. If he's very Siamese in nature, though, much will depend on your own willpower because they can be dreadfully wilful. How good is it?

Rubbish

At least two of mine have discovered the joys of chewing toilet rolls. It's neater than with Fluffy's reprobate but renders them totally unusable - teeth go deep into the roll so that it looks semi OK but the sheets are sort of stapled together.

GarlicOctopus · 21/10/2014 21:45

He presents guests with gifts, like flannels, washing up sponges and sheets of newspaper

Ahhhahahahahahahaaaah! Thanks for that image

AlmaMartyr · 21/10/2014 21:45

Ooh my other cat always used to play fetch, hadn't come across it before. I didn't realise it could be sort of breed related. She's a moggy but I've always wondered if she's a cross breed of some kind because she's so difficult to groom magnificent.

CatKisser · 21/10/2014 21:52

Whilst having them sleep on your bed (or in it) is indeed wonderful, be aware that when they do decide they want to sleep next to you at night, you will be expected to contort your body to fit in with their sleeping arrangements.

I swear, with three on the bed, my sleep has been seriously affected. Even when I'm asleep I'm aware of where they all are, in case I crush one!

Fluffycloudland77 · 21/10/2014 21:54

MantraKittens such a little legend.

Maybe he'd appreciate having the run of the house & just doing his own thing?. He's only a baby really.

We never had this because I locked him in the kitchen with the radiator on while we froze upstairs.

shaska · 21/10/2014 22:45

I thought the fact that white cat likes to sleep IN the bed, in a very specific position next to me, was The Best, when she started it, but now that she's in the habit and becomes utterly furious should I be unwilling to conform to the position instantly upon getting into bed and instead want to read a book or perform literally any other activity, the novelty has worn off somewhat.

She likes toilet rolls too - the stapling! Yes!

RubbishMantra · 21/10/2014 23:57

Shaska, yup, big boy cat is also a conundrum. When he deigns to sit near me, I feel happy yet frightened. This is because he will have a bitey/squealy/yowly tantrum if I do not sit completely still. He forbids me to even breathe.

Garlic, Cozie, Fluffy - baby MKitten is such a little sweet pea. And a constant source of amusement for myself and MCat.

sashh · 22/10/2014 07:34

Mine has spent the summer sleeping on me, she has now decided the best place to sleep is on the corner of the bath.

This time last year it was a book shelf.

Original poster

SuperFlyHigh · 22/10/2014 09:39

sashh that so funny re the corner of the bath. daft animal

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shaska · 22/10/2014 10:57

RubbishMantra - oh yes! I got trapped in bed this morning by a cat who was nestled purring against my bare thigh. Attempts to move were met with a slow yet firm placement of paw against said thigh and a gradual extension of claws until my movement stopped.

darksideofthemooncup · 22/10/2014 11:11

We have a kitten that has decided that the shower tray is the best place to sleep. He also is obsessed by the bath, particularly when my Dd is in it and doesn't seem to mind getting wet. I suspect some Bengal in his heritage...

cozietoesie · 22/10/2014 11:36

There's an old saying about cats finding the warmest place in the house but I'd amend that slightly to suggest that cats find the most comfortable/comforting place in the house. (There being other things in life for a cat than just heat.)

I'm not sure what that says about those of you whose cats seem to prefer your baths or shower trays etc.

Original poster

SuperFlyHigh · 22/10/2014 13:46

cozie mine is not strange but I don't where he sleeps. He likes his plush new cat bed (and so he should after the amount of money it cost!).

But he also likes the fleece blanket in the spare room, a cushion there and I think on top of the sofas. I often wake to find him outside my room so maybe he sleeps there on the carpet.

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Original poster

SuperFlyHigh · 22/10/2014 13:46

sorry don't KNOW.

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ShakeYourTailFeathers · 22/10/2014 19:45

It's not always a good thing if they do choose to sleep with you. Our kitten (well, he's just turned one) likes to sleep VERY close to human faces.

It's actually quite hard to sleep with a paw on your cheek and a set of whiskers up your nose

He's a fidget too - turns between the two of us all the time. He gets shut out of the room a fair bit....

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